[Leica] Tallest mountains

[lrzeitlin at optonline.net (Lawrence Zeitlin)]

Mark is partly correct in claiming that Alaska has some of the  
tallest peaks. Although Everest is the mountain whose summit attains  
the greatest distance above sea level, Several other mountains are  
sometimes claimed as alternative "tallest mountains on Earth". Mauna  
Kea in Hawaii is tallest when measured from its base. it rises over  
10,200 m (6.3 mi) when measured from its base on the mid-ocean floor,  
but only attains 4,205 m (13,796 ft) above sea level.
By the same measure of base to summit, Mount McKinley, in Alaska, is  
also taller than Everest. Despite its height above sea level of only  
6,193.6 m (20,320 ft), Mount McKinley sits atop a sloping plain with  
elevations from 300-900 m (1,000-3,000 ft), yielding a height above  
base in the range of 5,300-5,900 m (17,300-19,300 ft); a commonly  
quoted figure is 5,600 m (18,400 ft). By comparison, reasonable base  
elevations for Everest range from 4,200 m (13,800 ft) on the south  
side to 5,200 m (17,100 ft) on the Tibetan Plateau, yielding a height  
above base in the range of 3,650 m (12,000 ft) to 4,650 m (15,300  
ft). So depending on where you start when looking up, your mileage  
may vary.



The above facts that nobody wanted to know are loosely cribbed from  
the Wikipedia article on Mt. Everest. It is a fascinating read and  
contains much more useless information.



Larry Z